That Don't Sound Like You
by owlwayssandforever
Summary: Emma and Killian find Liam in the Underworld, and things don't go quite as Emma planned. Written before 5x15, so I guess its an alternative to that. *Nominated for Best One Shot in 2016 CSFAs*
**_A/N: For the most lovely captain-swan-in-the-tardis because it's her birthday and she deserves something special. You wanted the Jones Brothers and/or Captain Swan, so here's what I've got for you. I hope you like it! This starts out kind of angsty (and obviously I wrote this before I watched last night's episode) and then gets kind of fluffy._**

They didn't go looking for him, they didn't even find him on purpose. Why it never occurred to them to look for him as soon as Killian was able, Emma doesn't know. She supposed it was because they assumed that Liam must have moved on already, that for whatever reason, they had just assumed he was already in whatever better place awaited those who accomplished their unfinished business. It was entirely an accident that they found him.

Emma had seen him in Granny's when they first arrived, when they were still looking for Killian, but, having never seen a picture of Liam, she didn't know who it was. Standing in front of him, she was amazed that she had missed it - they were so alike, how could she not recognize him immediately? The same blue eyes, the same mouth that twisted to form the same expressions. They had different noses and ears though, different hair, Liam's face was rounder. She didn't know who looked like which parent, but she supposed each took after one more than the other. But still, there is no mistaking the light that turned Liam greyish-blue eyes to a bright Mediterranean blue when he first saw his brother. There was no mistaking the smile that turned the corners of his lips upward (a little lopsided). She had seen it before on Killian.

"Little brother?" Liam had said as he had stopped dead in his tracks in front of them, walking toward them from across the docks, and Killian halted too, pulling Emma to a stop with him from their joined hands.

He had released her hand without looking backwards as he took the last few steps to his brother, both of them crashing into each other's arms and thumping each other hard on the back as they tried to choke back all the emotions crashing over them. _Centuries. It's been centuries since they were together_ , Emma had reminded herself, tamping down the jealousy and insecurities that were tugging on her heartstrings because he had still yet to look back at her.

"Liam," Killian had spoken at last, when he caught his brother looking curiously over his shoulder after they had pulled apart to regard each other from arms length. "I'd like you to meet my - my -" he had seemed to struggle for the right word. What were they to each other? "Emma," he had finished lamely. "Love, allow me to introduce my brother, Captain Liam Jones."

She had blushed at the introduction, and held her hand out to shake Liam's, but he had regarded her with a strange look and instead merely inclined his head toward her. _Shit. How had she already screwed up?_ Instead of continuing to talk in the open, Killian had suggested they return to the loft, and Emma had agreed, following behind the two brothers as they walked and feeling strangely like a third wheel. It felt like all Killian's happiness at seeing her had dissipated the moment he had laid eyes on his brother.

And that was how they ended up sitting at the table in the loft, catching up on all the things the brothers had missed out on, and Emma couldn't help but feel a slight strain in the room at her presence. When Killian's story came to Milah, she tensed involuntarily, suddenly aware that this trip to the underworld had opened up a wound in her relationship with Killian that she wasn't even aware had been there. Something else they would need to talk about, eventually. Whether he noticed this, or simply had impeccably good timing, Killian placed his hand on Emma's knee, soothingly rubbing up and down while his thumb traced circles into her skin through the fabric of her jeans. And then she made her appearance to the story.

* * *

"Next thing I know, this lovely lass has a dagger to my throat and is threatening to summon the ogres if I don't cooperate with them. And I'll be damned if I don't fall halfway in love with her right at that very moment."

Emma noticed Liam eyeing her with some curiosity, and she can't help but flush under the intensity of his gaze. Killian continued his story, and Emma had to admit, she wasn't coming off great - it was starting to seem like her only virtue was being pretty, and she could see much the same thought running through Liam's mind.

"And that, my dear brother, is how I ended up here."

"Forgive me, Killian, but exactly how many times has this woman tried to kill you?" Liam questioned, flashing Emma a look that was laced with dislike as her cheeks turned brighter pink and Killian scratched nervously behind his ear.

"Liam, please," he hissed, shooting his older brother a scandalized look, with a further apologetic glance at Emma.

"No, listen to me, little brother," Liam countered.

"Younger," Killian interrupted, mumbling, but Liam ignored him.

"From what you told me, I've counted at least four times she has attempted to kill you, one of those times was actually successful, in addition to one time that she killed you without meaning to!" He was on his feet, shouting, while Emma started resolutely at her feet, trying not to let the tears that were burning her eyes fall, and Killian stared dumbfounded at his brother.

"This is not like you, Liam," he said, looking mortified.

"Excuse me," Emma whispered, pushing her chair back from the table and standing to leave.

"Emma, wait," Killian said, reaching out for her and missing as she walked away from them and out the door of the loft. He turned back to Liam, eyes blazing like blue flames. "You and I, brother, we are going to talk about this, and you had better believe that I will unleash three centuries of fury upon you if you speak about Emma with anything less than absolute respect and comity."

Liam gaped at him for a moment, but Killian turned on his heel and grabbed his leather jacket from the hook where it hung, throwing it on as he bounded down the stairs after Emma.

"Swan!" he called out to her as he flung the door to the outside wide, but she just kept going. "Swan! Emma, love, please."

She slowed her pace a little to allow him to catch up to her, but kept walking.

"Swan, I'm sorry, that's not like him, he's usually much more..." Killian struggled for words before huffing in frustration. "Actually its very like him, but only because he's very protective of me. I'm afraid he still rather sees me as a young lad. Never really got over my growing up."

"It's fine, Killian, really, don't worry about it," she sniffed without looking at him, and he laid his hand on her arm, gently coaxing her to stop and face him.

"Emma," he crooned, smoothing his thumb over his cheek, gazing at her with a look in his eyes like she lit up the world for him. "Emma listen to me, I'm going to fix this, I promise."

"Killian -"

"No, Emma, look at me," he lifted her chin until her green eyes met his blue ones. "You know I love you, right?"

"I love you too, Killian," she whispered, her hands resting on his chest.

"But you know that I love you?" he asked, his brow furrowing slightly.

"Yes, I do," Emma answered, giving him a small smile.

"Then tell me what has you so upset," he requested, holding her close to him when she let out a small huff of irritation. "I know Liam, but what about it? What's going through that beautiful mind of yours?"

"I just want him to like me," she whispered, feeling every bit like the lost little girl she used to be (she sometimes still is). "I know how much he means to you, and it feels like... it feels like... how can we be _right_ if he doesn't think so?"

Killian considered her for a moment, taking in the anxiety that furrowed her brow and trying to understand everything that was behind her words.

"He doesn't know you yet, he doesn't understand the, ah, complexities of our relationship." He thumbed at the dimple in her chin, giving her a small smile, the shy one that he saved only for her, the one that reminded her that they shared many of their insecurities. "Think about how much your father disliked me at first, until my considerable charms won him over," he winked at her, and Emma couldn't help but give a little laugh.

"He really hated you," she murmured, reflecting on the days on David doing everything he could to keep them apart. "But he always wanted me to be happy."

"My brother is the same, I assure you. Once he understands how much I love you, how much we love each other, he'll come around. He just wants what's best for me." She sighed into him and Killian pulled her close, pressing a tender kiss against her lips and running his fingers through her hair.

"You go back to the loft, spend some time with your brother," Emma said, breathing in his air after they pulled apart. "I'm going to go find my parents. And maybe something to eat."

"Are you sure? Would you like me to come with you?" he asked, looking at her a little anxiously.

"No, it's fine, I'll be back as soon as I get them." She smiled and gave him a quick kiss before walking away. His words had helped some, but she still felt more unsure of their relationship that she had in some time, more uncertain that she was worth his love. He had promised to be a survivor, he had promised not to leave her. But the more she let Liam's words sink into her mind, the more she began to doubt that she deserved Killian and his promises.

Killian walked back to the loft, stewing in the conflict between the two people he loved most, and trying to decide what to do. Much as he loved his brother, he couldn't help grow frustrated with his behavior. He was no longer a child, he didn't need his big brother to tell him what to do anymore. Irritated, Killian slammed the door shut behind him as he entered the loft, his brother looking up in surprise.

"Has Emma -" Liam started to ask, but Killian cut him off.

"Listen to me for once, brother, and listen well," he stated, glaring at his brother angrily. "Emma does not deserve your disapproval or your scorn. You have no idea what I was like before I met her, you have no idea. And you have no bloody clue what she has been through in her life. Everyone in her life has left her, she has been abandoned left and right, and I swore to her that I would not do the same. You have no clue what it cost her to - to send me here. She did it because it was what was right, it was what had to be done to save countless people, and I can only imagine the pain and the grief it caused her. The guilt over killing someone you love, Liam, you have no idea what that can do to a person."

"Killian -"

"No, brother!" He was yelling and pacing back and forth, not even realizing how worked up he had become. "Sometimes, there is no alternative. Sometimes, try as you might, you cannot save someone. Sometimes, you can make all the right choices, have all the best intentions, and people still get hurt! It's not my fault!" Killian paused as he realized his mistake, looking away from Liam, and letting out a loud huff. He hadn't realized how much Liam's condemnation of Emma felt like a condemnation of himself. "Her fault, it's not her fault."

"My death," Liam said quietly, his blue eyes focused on Killian's back, "my death was never your fault, Killian. Not for a single second of my time here have I blamed you for what happened."

"I was the one -" Killian started to speak, turning back to face his brother.

"No," Liam interrupted firmly. "I was blind, naive, stubborn, and many other things, brother. You are right, you did everything you could to prevent what happened. It was never your fault."

"Emma -" Killian began, but once more, Liam interrupted him.

"You're right, I don't know what it does to a person to have to sacrifice one they love. I have never loved anyone except you, Killian." Liam looked earnestly at his younger brother, blue eyes staring at their counterpart. "I cannot imagine, what I would do if I had been the one to... Going to hell to bring you back though, that sounds about right."

Killian nodded, too full of emotion to speak. Normally, he was much better with words, with making eloquent speeches that conveyed his thoughts and moved people. In that moment though, he was choking on the love he had for his brother, on the guilt he had felt for so many years, on the forgiveness that was starting to seep through every cell in his body.

"You should give her my ring," Liam suggested, clapping his brother on the back and then wrapping his arm around his shoulder.

"I already did," Killian laughed, still feeling full of emotion. "To keep her safe, as it did me for so long."

"And did you ask her a very important question when you did?" Liam asked, raising an eyebrow in a look that was very reminiscent of his younger brother.

"Ah, no," Killian answered, scratching behind his ear. "Emma is a little... those things scare her sometimes."

"But you want to?" Liam pushed.

"When the time is right," Killian replied quietly, a small smile gracing his lips.

"Good," Liam grinned, hugging Killian close for a moment. "You need a good woman."

"Aye, I need _her."_

The door opened and Emma walked in, looking a little bit hesitant, but Killian grinned widely at her, giving her the usual look like she had hung the moon, and Liam seemed more relaxed.

"I brought grilled cheeses, and I got fries and onion rings," she looked at Liam and tried to smile warmly, "I didn't know what you like."

"Onion rings," Liam answered. "I definitely prefer onion rings."

Killian chuckled as he took the bag from Emma, placing a light kiss on her temple and resting his hook on her waist. They sat down at the table again and dug in, laughing when Killian got melted cheese in his scruff and tried to wipe it off with his hook, only making more of a mess. Liam told Emma about Killian as a child, and in return she told him about his brother as a hero, and Killian spent the whole time scratching behind his ear as his cheeks flushed bright red.

It was good, it was nice how easily they fit together, the three of them, and Emma went to bed that night - tucked into Killian's side - trying hard to think of a way for them to bring Liam back with them.


End file.
